Hart Not Eligible for U.S. Campaign Money, FEC Says

WASHINGTON — The Federal Election Commission initially decided today that former Sen. Gary Hart is not eligible to receive $900,000 in federal matching funds for his aborted 1988 presidential campaign.

The commission made a preliminary determination, on a 5-1 vote, that Hart, who announced May 8 that he was dropping out of the race over charges of womanizing, was not an official candidate when his application for federal funds was submitted to the FEC on May 18.

The Hart campaign has 30 days to file a response to the commission action before the commission takes another vote to make its decision final.

Hart campaign counsel Don Simon expressed disappointment at the decision and said if the FEC holds firm when it takes a final vote, the campaign will consider a court appeal.